US6191094B1ExpiredUtility

Aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning substrates and method of using same

46
Assignee: CHURCH & DWIGHT CO INCPriority: May 6, 1997Filed: Nov 5, 1998Granted: Feb 20, 2001
Est. expiryMay 6, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Francis R. CalaRichard A. Reynolds
C11D 1/83C23G 1/19C11D 3/10C11D 1/72C11D 1/10C11D 2111/18C11D 2111/16
46
PatentIndex Score
8
Cited by
11
References
34
Claims

Abstract

An alkaline aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning a substrate contaminated with industrial-type soil contaminants contains (i) an aqueous portion and (ii) an active-ingredient portion composed of (A) an alkalinity-providing agent and (B) a surfactant mixture containing (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C 12-14 alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12 and (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula R—N(H)—R′, wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms. At an active-concentration ratio of surfactant (a) to surfactant (b) of about 2.5:1, the surfactants have a synergistic effect on the cleaning composition's ability to remove certain types of industrial-soil contaminants. Cleaning of the substrate with the aqueous cleaning composition involves contacting the substrate with the composition for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a substantial portion of the contaminants from the substrate.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning a substrate contaminated with industrial-type soil contaminants, comprising: 
       (i) an aqueous portion and  
       (ii) an active-ingredient portion comprising:  
       (A) an alkalinity-providing agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to provide said aqueous cleaning composition with an alkaline pH;  
       (B) a surfactant mixture comprising:  
       (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12, and  
       (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula:  
       
         
           R—N(H)—R′  (I)  
         
       
        wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;  
       wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to render said aqueous cleaning composition capable of removing at least a substantial portion of said contaminants from said substrate wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to provide an active-concentration ratio of said surfactant (a) to said surfactant (b) of from about 2.5:1 to about 1:1; wherein said composition provides improved grease and mixed lube removal properties.  
     
     
       2. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant is an ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
       3. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant comprises from 3 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide. 
     
     
       4. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 8. 
     
     
       5. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 11. 
     
     
       6. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein R comprises from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and R′ comprises from 2 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       7. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said aminocarboxylic acid surfactant is N-coco-beta-aminopropionic acid surfactant. 
     
     
       8. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition has a pH of less than about 12.0, further wherein said amount of said alkalinity-providing agent is such as to provide said composition with said pH of less than about 12.0. 
     
     
       9. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition has a pH of from about 8.0 to about 11.0, further wherein said amount of said alkalinity-providing agent is such as to provide said composition with said pH of from about 8.0 to about 11.0. 
     
     
       10. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition has a pH of from about 8.0 to about 10.0, further wherein said amount of said alkalinity-providing agent is such as to provide said composition with said pH of from about 8.0 to about 10.0. 
     
     
       11. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said alkalinity-providing agent is a mixture comprising potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate or a mixture comprising potassium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate. 
     
     
       12. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition is an aqueous concentrate comprising from about 55% to about 95% by weight of said aqueous portion and from about 5% to about 45% by weight of said active-ingredient portion. 
     
     
       13. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition is an aqueous solution comprising from about 80% to about 99.9% by weight of said aqueous portion and from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of said active-ingredient portion. 
     
     
       14. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said cleaning composition comprises about 90% by weight of said aqueous portion and about 10% by weight of said active-ingredient portion. 
     
     
       15. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said active-ingredient portion comprises from about 20% to about 80% by weight of said alkalinity-providing agent, from about 80% to about 20% by weight of said surfactant mixture, from 0% to about 30% by weight of at least one hydrotrope, and from 0% to about 10% by weight of at least one anti-precipitating agent. 
     
     
       16. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said aqueous portion consists essentially of water. 
     
     
       17. A composition according to claim  1 , wherein said composition is free of organic solvents. 
     
     
       18. A non-aqueous, active-ingredient composition capable of being combined with an aqueous medium to form an aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning a substrate contaminated with industrial-type soil contaminants, said non-aqueous, active-ingredient composition comprising: 
       (A) an alkalinity-providing agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to provide said aqueous cleaning composition with an alkaline pH;  
       (B) a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of:  
       (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12; and  
       (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula:  
       
         
           R—N(H)—R′  (I)  
         
       
        wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;  
       wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to render said aqueous cleaning composition capable of removing at least a substantial portion of said contaminants from said substrate wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to provide an active-concentration ratio of said surfactant (a) to said surfactant (b) of from about 2.5:1 to about 1:1; wherein said composition provides improved grease and mixed lube removal properties.  
     
     
       19. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant is an ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
       20. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant comprises from 3 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide. 
     
     
       21. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 8. 
     
     
       22. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 11. 
     
     
       23. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein R comprises from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and R′ comprises from 2 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       24. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein said aminocarboxylic acid surfactant is N-coco-beta-aminopropionic acid surfactant. 
     
     
       25. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein said amount of said alkalinity-providing agent is such as to provide said aqueous cleaning composition with a pH of less than about 12.0. 
     
     
       26. A composition according to claim  22 , wherein said alkalinity-providing agent is a mixture comprising potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate or a mixture of potassium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate. 
     
     
       27. A composition according to claim  18 , wherein said composition comprises from about 20% to about 80% by weight of said alkalinity-providing agent, from about 80% to about 20% by weight of said surfactant mixture, from 0% to about 30% by weight of at least one hydrotrope, and from 0% to about 10% by weight of at least one anti-precipitating agent. 
     
     
       28. A surfactant mixture capable of being combined with an alkaline, aqueous cleaning composition comprising an alkalinity-providing agent, said surfactant mixture consisting essentially of: 
       (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12; and  
       (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula:  
       
         
           R—N(H)—R′  (I)  
         
       
        wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;  
       wherein a ratio of said active concentration of said surfactant (a) to said active concentration of surfactant (b) is such as to render said aqueous cleaning composition capable of removing at least a substantial portion of industrial-type soil contaminants from a metal substrate contaminated therewith wherein said active-concentration ratio of said surfactant (a) to said surfactant (b) is from about 2.5:1 to about 1:1; wherein said composition provides improved grease and mixed lube removal properties.  
     
     
       29. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant is an ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
       30. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein the ethoxylated C 12-14  alkanol surfactant comprises from 3 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide. 
     
     
       31. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 8. 
     
     
       32. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein said surfactant (a) has an HLB value at 25° C. of 11. 
     
     
       33. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein R comprises from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and R′ comprises from 2 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       34. A surfactant mixture according to claim  28 , wherein said aminocarboxylic acid surfactant is N-coco-beta-aminopropionic acid surfactant.

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